


Dances with Wools

by writingwillow



Series: A Twist of Fate [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Asexual Peter Pettigrew, Baby Harry, First Time, Fluff, Knitting, Language of Flowers, M/M, Romance, Smut, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 10:46:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9720113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingwillow/pseuds/writingwillow
Summary: Remus and Sirius have been together (officially) for a little over a month and Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Remus thinks it's time they took their relationship to the next level but Sirius is a little hesitant. Remus takes a hint and realizes it's time for a Grand Romantic Gesture. The language of flowers, excessive holiday decorations, and a tiny bit of knitting too.or,Why it's terribly important that you and your lover make sure you use the same flower dictionary.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> As promised, the sequel to A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing! 
> 
> Very special thanks go to [Jmiller](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Jmiller), who is the best, nerdiest sister a nerdy sister could ask for. Thank you for the hand-holding and giving me wine while I wrote this.  
> Also, sincere thanks to [Worthfull1](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Worthfull1/pseuds/Worthfull1) for alpha reading and cheerleading and generally loving this story as much as me. You're wonderful and I love being able to call you my friend.  
> [AccioMasterofDeath](http://acciomasterofdeath.tumblr.com/) is a darling beta and I always appreciate your feedback.
> 
> Any glaring errors are my own - feel free to point them out.

 

Sirius Black strolled down a lesser traveled lane of Diagon Alley with a lumpy, blue,  slightly misshapen handknit hat on his head. He whistled softly despite the biting chill in the early February air, messenger bag bouncing gently at his hip as he walked.  He slowed as he reached his destination and peered into the glass of the windows at The Black Sheep to see the proprietor sitting at the work table with a mess of knitting in his hands. He grinned and pushed the door open, making the bell above it jingle and startling the man at the table.

“You finished it!” he exclaimed as he stood and walked to Sirius, examining the hat he wore.

“D’you like it? It’s a bit lumpy and I can’t figure out _why_ . Remus, I followed the pattern _exactly_ …” Sirius trailed off and pulled the hat off his head and turned it over in his hands. It was certainly lumpy and while it looked like a hat, it looked nothing like the picture that accompanied the pattern he had followed. Remus took the hat from him and smoothed it out onto the work table in front of him.

“Oh, I see,” he murmured. “You didn’t block it.” He reached for the copy of the pattern Sirius had dug out of his bag and read to the bottom. “See?” he said, pointing. “‘Wet block to shape,’ which basically means soak it and let it dry but there’s a spell for that,” Remus explained. He pulled out his wand and muttered an incantation under his breath. As Sirius watched, the hat slowly softened and gradually smoothed out. The stitches became clearer and more distinct and the hat took on a much more proper shape. When the process was finished, Sirius scooped it up with a soft cheer and waved it in Remus’ face before kissing him soundly.

“Moony, you’re magnificent,” he grinned as he jammed the hat back on his head.

Remus shook his head a bit to clear it and smiled softly before a small frown crossed his lips. “‘Moony’?” he asked incredulously.

“Yeah, Prongs suggested it. We all have names, y’know, and since you’re a Marauder now you need the nickname to go with it. And with your, er, furry little problem, it seemed fitting.”

“‘Furry little problem’!” Remus laughed out loud. “You make it sound like I have an ill-behaved rabbit in my flat, not a terrible monthly curse.”

“Now you’re making it sound like you have a different condition altogether,” Sirius countered, slinging an arm around Remus’ waist and crowding into his space.

“Sirius,” Remus warned, “I’m technically at work.”

“Shop isn’t _technically_ open for another 3 minutes,” Sirius murmured next to Remus’ mouth before pressing their mouths together.

The bell above the door jingled and a voice called, “Sweet Merlin’s tits, you two, get a room!”

“I have a whole shop, Dorcas,” Remus growled around Sirius’ tongue. Sirius chuckled and pulled away to hug her.

“It’s alright,” Sirius says. “I promised Pete I’d meet with him to test the latest improvements to the ‘top secret new development’ project he’s got at work. I wanted to stop in and see you first, show you my hat,” he added. “Dinner tonight?”

Remus righted himself and smoothed out his shirt (which had been rumpled by Sirius’ grasping fingers). “Yes, er, that’s good. Meet here or are we going to Godric’s Hollow?”

“I’ll pick you up,” Sirius said, giving Remus one final peck on the lips. “Ta, Dorcas!” he called and slipped out the door and down the street.

Dorcas let out a long whistle once he was gone and looked back at Remus. “So the honeymoon phase is still going strong, eh?” she asked with a cheshire grin.

Remus glared at her lightly and huffed. “That isn’t any of your business, Dorcas.”

Dorcas threw herself into one of the squashy armchairs arranged around a coffee table and hummed. “So… Do you have any plans for Valentine’s? It’s coming up fast, Romeo.”

“You know I don’t go in for the schmaltzy, overwrought declarations of true love or expensive dinners or any of the Valentine nonsense. It’s ridiculous to say really important things or false romantic nothings just because greeting card vendors and chocolatiers want to make a few extra galleons between Christmas and Easter.” He picked up the project he’d left at the work table and settled into one of the other armchairs.

“It’s fine to hate on Valentine’s Day when you’re single, Remus,” Dorcas began. “But you’re in a relationship now.” She leaned forward. “You have another person’s thoughts to consider.”

“We’ve been dating for a month, Dorcas, I hardly think it’s time to get down on one knee.”

“I’m not saying propose, you prat, I’m saying maybe it’s time to evaluate your intentions and consider a grand gesture.” Standing, Dorcas ruffled Remus’ hair. “Think about it, hm? And give me all the dirty details,” she winked lewdly and made for the door.

“There will be no dirty details!” Remus called after her, slumping back into his seat.

No dirty details indeed. While dating Sirius Black was certainly exciting - racing along country roads on the motorbike in the middle of the night, sneaking into clubs to see bands no one had heard of, participating in the prank war he and the other Marauders were involved with - he had to admit that he wanted a bit more.

 

Kissing Sirius Black was akin to a religious experience and after the first one there had been quite a few more. Eventually kissing had led to touching and touching obviously led to tasting but… Sirius always backed off before things got much further. Remus tried to be understanding and asked if he had done anything wrong, but Sirius always brushed it off saying it wasn’t Remus’ fault and that Sirius didn’t want to rush into anything too soon.

Remus wouldn’t dream of pushing Sirius along or making demands of any kind. That didn’t mean that he wasn’t feeling a bit frustrated with the situation. He felt the situation called for an expert opinion.

 

That evening, after he and Sirius had dinner with the Potters, Remus managed to get James alone to discuss the situation as obliquely as possible.

“Moony, it sounds like you’ve got to just _talk_ to him, mate,” James said.

“I’ve tried!” Remus said, running his hands through his hair. “He always gives me the brush off like it’s nothing but it’s obviously something! It’s like he’s holding back because…” Remus looked up at James as he realized. “He thinks this is just a fling, doesn’t he?”

James looked somber. “ _He_ certainly doesn’t feel that way, but he may assume you think of it that way.”

“James, he’s not… Erm, that is, he _has_ \- before, right?”

“Of course he - Remus, that is _not_ what this is about, I can promise you that,” James spluttered. Sirius bounded in before Remus could ask anything else and the rest of the evening passed with further discussion of the baby and how Lily’s pregnancy was progressing and the foul prenatal potions the mediwitch had prescribed. There was also an awful lot of James looking at the other two men with looks of fondness and concern and Sirius flouncing around being completely oblivious.

 

A couple of hours later saw Remus sitting on the couch in his dark flat with Sirius squirming in his lap, kissing him lazily while Remus ran his hands up and down Sirius’ back. Sirius shivered and leaned into the touch. Remus’ hands grew bolder, firmer, and Sirius let out the softest of moans before kissing Remus forcefully and pulling back with a gasp.

“Remus?” he asked, voice unsteady.

“Hmmm?” Remus hummed, kissing and nibbling along Sirius’ jaw and down his neck.

“I don’t mean to be a tease but I think we should stop.” Remus’ hands immediately dropped to his sides and he pulled his head back to look Sirius in the eye..

“Sirius,” he said. “Can we please talk about this?” He was trying desperately to be direct and get some answers. “Are you… worried about taking this further?” He carefully placed his hands around his waist, hoping he was being reassuring rather than suggestive.

Sirius sighed and looked at Remus. “It’s not that I don’t want to,” he said at last. “It’s that - and this is going to make me sound like a sappy schoolgirl, but - I want to be _sure_ , before we, you know?” He looked up into Remus’ eyes and then laughed nervously. “I know it sounds daft but -”

“You don’t do casual.” Remus finally understood.

“ _Yes_ ,” Sirius breathed out, relieved and laughing a bit more as the tension leached out of them both.

“Okay,” Remus nodded, a plan already forming in his head. He would convince Sirius that he was - _damn, why isn’t there another word for ‘serious’?_ \- committed.  


xoxo  


“Hiya Lils,” Remus said as he sidled up to her in the kitchen of the cottage in Godric’s Hollow. 

“What do you want?” Lily deadpanned.

“I need help,” Remus said, shoulders drooping.

“James told me all about your sex troubles and I don’t think I’m someone who can help you out there,” Lily said, sipping her tea and glancing at him over her mug.

“No, I figured that part out. What I need now are ideas.” Remus accepted the tea she offered and pressed on. “I think he wants proof that I’m serious about him - about us, our relationship - and as much as it pains me, I think it calls for a grand, romantic gesture.” He grimaced as he said this last part.

Lily looked him over and sighed. “What I’m about to say I share in the strictest of confidences and because you seem to be in dire need: Sirius may stomp around in motorcycle boots and a leather jacket but the truth is he is a massive, romantic, _sap._ You want to get his attention and prove your intentions? You need to pull out all the stops and turn on the romance.” She summoned a quill and some parchment and began writing as she continued, “This calls for a candlelit dinner, a heartfelt speech, chocolates, flowers…” She paused, then looked at Remus. “ _Flowers_ ,” she said. “That’s it!” She was scribbling furiously now.

“What about flowers?” Remus craned his neck trying to read what she was writing upside down.

“Sirius was raised in a pureblood home. He knows the language of flowers and _that’s_ how you’ll convey your affection!”

“Isn’t that rather, erm, I don’t know, Victorian?” Remus asked. He was skeptical because everything he knew about Sirius told him he’d rejected his upbringing and everything about it.

“Yes, but he’ll love it. Don’t you trust me?” her eyes turned coy and flirtatious and Remus laughed.

“Mrs. Potter, you should know better than to attempt working your wiles on me. I am immune,” Remus said, bumping her shoulder. He loved how easily he fit in with Sirius’ friends - so much so that they felt like his friends, too.

She giggled and set down her quill, looking over her hastily scribbled outline for Remus. “Now,” she said, catching her breath, “you’ll need to consult someone else for the flowers themselves. I’d recommend James but my husband can’t keep a secret from his best mates to save his life.” She said this last bit slightly under her breath, though James was out. “So perhaps Dorcas can help? I know hardly anything about pureblood courting rituals let alone the language of flowers but maybe she’ll have some ideas.” Remus nodded thoughtfully and accepted the parchment from her.

He bussed a kiss on her cheek as he stood to leave. “Thanks, Lily. You’re a lifesaver.”

“And I want all the dirty details!” she called after him, laughing.

xoxo

 

“Well, Remus, the first thing you need to know about floral arrangements is that they’re not exactly precise,” Dorcas said. “While you _can_ say something along the lines of ‘Meet me at the docks at midnight on Thursday. You will need 3 eggs and a large tomato; bring the dog,’ that might get muddled in the arrangement, you understand?”

“Dorcas, I don’t need to inform Sirius of a clandestine spy rendezvous, I need to convince him that my affection is genuine and that I’m committed,” Remus huffed.

Dorcas pulled out a couple of old, Victorian flower dictionaries and set them heavily on the table. “You’re really serious about Sirius?” she asked, failing to keep a straight face. When the giggles subsided she said, “Really, though? You love him?”

Remus thought for a moment. “Yes,” he said simply. “And I need him to believe that I’m sincere.”

xoxo

 

Sirius, meanwhile, was having a War Council with Peter and James at Peter’s flat.

“Mate, I think you should consider it a good thing that he’s not pressuring you to put out,” James was saying around a mouthful of takeout.

“Do you have to put it in such sex-ed terms?” Sirius whined.

Peter was tinkering with yet another “top secret new development” from Zonko’s and made no comment.

“Look, I’m just saying that now that the two of you have _talked_ like _adults_ , you can move on,” James continued. “He said he understood and let it drop, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, but… I dunno, I feel like maybe it’s time. He’s been patient and I - I’m pretty sure I’m falling for him, so why not? Besides, Valentine’s Day is coming up and I can’t think of a better time to plan a Grand Seduction,” Sirius said.

Peter finally looked up and said sharply, “Look, I’m fine with you discussing this in broad strokes but if you’re going to plan the final details of your ‘Grand Seduction,’ please do it in the privacy of your own flat where I don’t have to hear it.”

Sirius gently patted him on the shoulder. “I wouldn’t dream of defiling your precious little ears, Wormtail, but I may need your help in other areas.”

xoxo  


“Okay, so that’s gladiolus for sincerity, anemones for eagerness, snapdragons for graciousness - you’re trying to be gracious about his reticence, right? - and buttercups, for ‘I’m dazzled by your charms’ - sweet Merlin…” Dorcas mumbled to herself. “Now I remember why I had such a hard time listening when Gran would give me one of her etiquette lessons. This is dreadful!” She threw her quill down and looked up at Remus. “We’ve been at this for hours! Can we go for a pint and regroup yet?”

“No, Dorcas, I want to get this sorted! Sirius is important to me and I want to do this right!” Remus looked down at his notes and flipped through the tome at his elbow. “Let’s see,” he murmured as his finger swept down the page to find what he was looking for. “Chrysanthemums mean ‘you can trust my love,’ is that good or should we just stick with the gladioli for sincerity? And I want orange roses at full bloom for desire.”

“Well,” said Dorcas after she added those to the list, “it may not be the most beautiful arrangement but it’ll certainly be verbose.” She stood and stretched. “What else are you planning?”

“Dinner in my flat, music, ask him to dance and tell him how I feel.” Remus continued absently flipping through the books. “Should I send him geraniums first? For the lovers’ meeting?”

Dorcas groaned as she shrugged on her coat and left for work.

xoxo

 

Valentine’s Day was a week away and Remus was frustrated. Diagon Alley had been invaded by cupids armed with bows and arrows which they fired at unsuspecting passersby. When they hit, the arrows would surround the victim in festoons of hearts and flowers and songbirds, the thick cloud of which could not be dispelled for several minutes. Celestina Warbeck’s “Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love” blared from every other shop, and her lesser known but equally frightful ballads leaked out from others. Garlands of posies hung across the alley, interspersed with enchanted hearts which spouted love poems at odd intervals. Remus felt he was living in a nightmare.

“Whoever let that Lockhart idiot be in charge of the H.E.A.R.T.  ought to be sent to Azkaban,” he mumbled as he ducked back into his shop after stepping out for lunch.

“Lockhart?” asked one of the women who had been sitting at the work table.

Sirius perked up, “I think he just got out of Hogwarts. I remember hearing the name among the younger years - liked to make a big show of himself.”

“Oh!” said one of the younger ladies who promptly plunged a hand into her bag. She pulled out a copy of the latest issue of _Witch Weekly_ which indeed had Gilderoy Lockhart’s young, fresh face smiling on the cover. “He just won the Most Charming Smile award,” she said and the other ladies abandoned their knitting to flock around the charming picture.

“He’s just been granted a temporary post of a new department, the Handpicked Educational and Artistic Rallying Taskforce, to cheer up Diagon Alley around holidays. I hear they’re going to track down _real_ leprechauns for St. Patrick’s Day!” one of them enthused.

“What exactly is educational about cupids shooting hearts at people walking down the street?” someone asked before being shushed by everyone who was instead listening about the new holiday initiatives.

Remus looked over at Sirius and rolled his eyes. They shared a smile and eventually everyone went back to their work. Sirius had progressed past baby booties (after knitting a veritable army of them in various colors) to knitting hats. Remus was trying to teach him how to knit in the round.

“Won’t it unravel if I just knit in a circle all the way up?” he asked uncertainly.

“Do you plan on leaving ends out so someone could tug hard enough to unravel it?” Remus teased. He adjusted Sirius’ tension and checked his stitch count, perfectly aware that he was leaning in a little closer than necessary and letting his hands linger just a bit over Sirius’ own.

“You’re doing it again,” Sirius said softly with a wicked little smile.

“What?”

“Your ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ act.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Remus said, but he did let his hand drag across Sirius’ shoulders as he went to assist another person at the work table, eliciting a small shiver from the other man.

“You two are such a sweet couple,” one of them said. “Any exciting plans for Valentine’s?”

“Not sure,” Sirius said which a charming twinkle in his eyes. “Remus here isn’t the biggest fan of the holiday hype.”  
“It’s the cupids and enchanted hearts and festoons of confetti,” Remus grumbled. “Damn nuisance more like.” But he looked at Sirius fondly, thinking of his plan.

 

 


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we earn the rating. Also, be warned: PUNS. This is my first time posting smut so please be kind; constructive criticism is welcome.
> 
> It's JKR's sandbox, I just built the sandcastles.

 

Sirius stared dumbfounded at the bouquet on his kitchen table. Remus had delivered it by owl with a note that said,

_Dear Sirius,_

_I hope you know that I’ve given this a great deal of thought and I deeply care for you.  I hope you will understand what I’m trying to say with these flowers and know that I’m sincere.  Please meet me for supper on Valentine’s Day. I love you and I want to be with you._

_-R_

He looked at the flowers. _Gladiolus?_ He wondered. He didn’t even need to recall the lessons his mother drilled into his head about courtship and the language of flowers - the knowledge was easily grasped. But, _gladiolus_ ? And were those _anemones_ next to the snapdragons? He felt his heart lift a little. The orange roses gave him great pause. _Deceit_ , he thought. Why would Remus be lying to him? Buttercups for riches - did Remus want Sirius for his money? Nothing about the flowers or the note made sense. He picked out the geraniums and the chrysanthemums, considering how he might answer.

xoxo

“Okay, so peonies - especially the pink ones - mean _shyness_ , so Sirius is reaffirming his reticence, but the bright red carnations mean desire, right? So he’s shy but he wants this. He sent back a couple of the geraniums and one of the chrysanthemums, though. Is he rejecting the meeting and not trusting me?” Remus asked, confused.

“No, no,” said Dorcas. “The return of the chrysanthemums means he believes you to be sincere, the geraniums mean he accepts the meeting.”

“Dorcas, this is so bloody confusing - why did I decide to do this again?”

“Because while you’re a bitter cynic, your boyfriend is a hopeless romantic sap, and against all odds, you love him. That’s why.” Dorcas pulled her head out of the floo and Remus went back to preparing a romantic dinner for two.

xoxo

Sirius arrived at Remus’ flat as arranged and gazed around at what Remus had done.

The tiny flat had been transformed. The sofa had been pushed up against the far wall, and a table for two was set in the middle of the room. Candles floated around casting a soft, romantic glow on the usually dim space. Remus stood off to the side of the table, which was draped with a red cloth and more candles. Red roses in a vase acted as the centerpiece and covered dishes sat before two chairs. Sirius looked around the room and back at Remus, who looked handsome - albeit uncomfortable - in his formal dress robes. The soft, jazzy strains of Celestina Warbeck’s more tolerable tune, “You Charmed the Heart Right Out of Me” could be heard from the gramophone in the corner.

“Remus? What’s all this then?” Sirius asked, charmed. Perhaps he wouldn’t need to take all the steps for his planned Grand Seduction after all.

Remus cleared his throat. “I wanted this to be special. I wanted this to be romantic. For you.” He stepped up to the table and pulled out a chair, indicating for Sirius to sit. Sirius sat and Remus vanished the lids of the dishes with a flourish of his wand and summoned two glasses of wine from the kitchen.

He offered one to Sirius and said, “To us. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Sirius grinned and clinked his glass against Remus’. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

xoxo

Remus had outdone himself cooking things Lily and Dorcas had assured him were appropriately romantic. He was mostly relieved that nothing was burned and everything tasted the way it was supposed to.

Sirius was clearly enjoying the meal based on the noises he was making. He hummed his way through the lobster bisque and groaned at the first bite of his linguini and scallops. Remus was finding it difficult to concentrate on his meal because of this. Every sound Sirius made went straight to his groin and he found himself shifting in his seat. Sirius however, seemed oblivious to the effect he was having on the werewolf. Remus tried to pay attention to Sirius’ conversation about his plans for James and Lily’s child - “The sprog’s gonna be a flying prodigy, Remus, just you wait!” - but it was so hard.

Finally, Sirius pushed away his plate and looked up at Remus for the first time in several long minutes. “So, I got the flowers you sent me,” he began.

“And I got yours,” said Remus, smiling softly.

“I didn’t really understand, though,” Sirius continued.

“How do you mean?”

“Well, the snapdragons and anemones, for one thing,” Sirius chuckled a bit. “I mean, ‘graciousness’ and ‘forsaken’? Bit of mixed signals, don’t you think?”

“‘Forsaken’? The anemones were for eagerness!” Remus quickly went and fetched the Victorian flower dictionary upon which he and Dorcas had relied.

When Sirius saw it, he burst out laughing. “Remus, is this the book you used to send me those flowers?” he asked.

“Yes! It’s Victorian - what’s wrong with it?” Remus was terribly confused. This conversation - this evening - was not going exactly as he had hoped. He and Sirius seemed to have gotten their wires crossed somewhere and he hoped they could clear it up and get to dessert.

“Remus,” Sirius chuckled, flipping through the book quickly. “This is a _Muggle_ flower dictionary. The meanings are… slightly different than the ones I grew up with. They may not necessarily be _wrong_ , but the meanings are probably very different in some situations. Like anemones. Or snapdragons. Or orange roses.”

Remus felt the blood drain from his face as he understood what Sirius was saying. His carefully thought-out bouquet probably meant something horrible to Sirius when he’d only been trying to be sincere and romantic.

“Oh Merlin,” Remus mumbled, covering his face with his hands. “I was trying to be romantic! I was trying to convince you that I was sincere, that my affections were genuine! I’m in love with you, Sirius, and I wanted to say it with flowers but clearly I only know how to say it with words.” He walked to Sirius and took up his hands and kissed his knuckles. “I’m so sorry for whatever my stupid flowers said to you. I didn’t mean it.”

Sirius hummed thoughtfully and looped his arms around Remus’ shoulders. “Really? Because the buttercups told me you were ‘dazzled by my charms and riches’ and the gladiolus promised you were sincere, and the chrysanthemums said I could trust your love. Were those flowers lying, too? Or just the ones that came out and said they were lying outright? The orange roses and snapdragons and anemones?”

“Maybe not all the flowers then,” Remus agreed. “I mean it though, I’m in this for real, Sirius. I love you and I want to be with you. Whether you want to sleep with me or not, I want you to be comfortable and confident in how I feel about you.”

Sirius was quiet for a moment, content in the circle of Remus’ arms. “Alright then,” he said, and moved back to the table.

“Alright?’ Remus asked, blinking. This evening was very confusing.

“Alright,” Sirius said. Then, “Isn’t there dessert?”

Remus took a moment to get the gears in his head to start moving once more and summoned the dessert dishes to the table. Chocolate covered strawberries - two for each of them - sat plump and rosy on small plates.

“Strawberries?” Sirius said, waggling his eyebrows. “Really pouring on the romance, aren’t we?” He took up one of the strawberries, placed it half in his mouth and took a bite, letting the juices drip through his fingers and down his forearm.

Remus’ mouth went dry. “I, erm, thought that was what you wanted. Romance, I mean,” he was stammering like an idiot, staring transfixed at Sirius’ lips, which were wet and red, stained by the strawberry he was still eating. Very slowly.

“Don’t you want yours?” Sirius asked, reaching over to Remus’ plate to pick up one of the strawberries. He leaned over the table and held it to Remus’ lips. “They’re divine, take a bite.”

Poor Remus (poor, poor Remus) could do nothing but obey. The strawberry was perfect: juicy, soft, sweet on his tongue. The chocolate cracked and mingled with the juices in his mouth and his lips grazed Sirius’ fingertips. The air in the room suddenly took on an almost electric charge - like a summer storm that promises lightning, but no rain.

After they finished feeding each other bites of strawberry, Sirius banished the dishes back to the kitchen.  Instead of leaning across the table, he walked around and deposited himself in Remus’ lap, ducking his head to chase the taste of chocolate and strawberries on Remus’ mouth. Remus’ tenuously held control snapped and he pushed the table back further, pulling Sirius in closer and deepening the kiss. Sirius moaned in approval and Remus captured the lingering bits of sweetness in Sirius’ mouth with his tongue.

Remus pulled back for a brief moment to search Sirius’ eyes. “This is okay, right? All of this is okay? Please tell me if it’s not,” he said, keeping Sirius at arm’s length to be sure he got an answer.

“Remus, if you don’t start kissing me and take off your shirt right this minute, we’ll have a problem. Until then, keep going and I’ll tell you if I need to stop. But don’t count on that happening anytime soon.” He pulled Remus back in for another breath stealing kiss and Remus got them turned around toward the bedroom.

There was no stopping on the way there. No pausing to kiss against the walls in the corridor, no laughing into each other’s mouths as articles of clothing were discarded and left trailing behind them. Remus cut a clear path to his bed and Sirius followed behind eagerly, their hands entwined.

 

Once inside, Remus shut the door and waved his hand to light the additional floating candles he set up in hopes that their evening would end like this. They looked at each other and immediately burst out laughing. Sirius wasn’t quite certain why the situation was so amusing but he knew Remus felt like the candlelight, the romantic dinner, the exchanging of flowers and romantic declarations were all out of some sappy romance novel. He knew Remus had done it all for him, and he loved him for it. When the giggles subsided, the room did not become thick with tension, but soft.

Remus gently ran his fingers down Sirius’ arms, chuckling softly when he encountered a sticky spot left by the strawberry juice Sirius has so wantonly allowed to drip. A muttered cleansing spell from Sirius and a soft smile took care of it, but Remus continued his gentle explorations, feeling bold now that he knew Sirius would not shy away. Sirius’ hands went to the buttons on Remus’ robes and began undoing them one by one, enjoying the way Remus’ breath hitched as he pushed them apart with each button unbuttoned. Remus eventually lost his patience with being unwrapped like a present and made quick work of Sirius’ outer robes and shirt.

Remus was aware that Sirius had tattoos but he was not prepared for how stunning they looked, stark against his olive skin. Curious shapes and symbols he planned to map out like constellations next time he got this. This first time, though, he wanted to make Sirius feel cherished. He shrugged out of his robes now that Sirius had taken care of the buttons on the front and shucked his shirt, throwing them haphazardly in a corner. He turned Sirius around and gently guided him down onto the bed, following him down and nuzzling his neck, whispering assurances as they went.

Sirius moved first, reaching for the fastenings of Remus’ trousers, grinning and pulling Remus in for a kiss as he pushed them down. He palmed at his erection through his pants and Remus sighed at the sensation before batting his hand away to reach for Sirius’ own trousers. Maintaining eye contact to be sure he had Sirius’ continued permission, he pushed them down and off, then reached for the band of his pants. Sirius’ hands joined Remus’ and pushed them down, kicking them off and into the corner with the rest of his clothes.

Finally seeing Sirius naked and stretched out beside him was overwhelming and Sirius laughed under the scrutiny. He glowed in the candlelight and his eyes blazed with heat. “I feel a bit underdressed here, shouldn’t you be joining me?” he teased, tugging at Remus’ underwear and pushing them out of the way.

“How should we do this?” he asked softly, a bit uncertain for the first time since entering the room.

“I really want to take you,” Remus murmured. “But if that’s not what you want, we can do it the other way, or we don’t even have to do that. We can do something else.”

“No, I want that,” Sirius said. “This time, at least.” He kissed Remus again but then quickly rolled over on top of him.

It was like a dam had been released now that Sirius was sure. He nuzzled into Remus’ neck and nibbled at his collarbones, sucked red marks into his sternum and grazed his teeth across one of his nipples. Remus groaned at the attention, delighted that Sirius was finally feeling free to touch him. Sirius was constantly getting distracted, feeling like he could finally enjoy Remus at his leisure and not sure where to focus his attentions. He kept leaning back up to kiss Remus long and deep and dirty, pushing his hands into Remus’ curls and grinding their hips together.

Finally, Remus had enough. A naked and willing Sirius was already more than he could hope for and his constant rutting against his hip was beginning to overwhelm him. He went to tug Sirius over to lie beneath him but his hand slipped against his slightly sweat-slicked skin and wound up catching Sirius round the ear.

“Ow?” Sirius muttered before the two of them dissolved into giggles once more. Remus liked this, this carefree, no pressure kind of love. But their laughter did nothing to diminish their arousal so he carefully tucked Sirius beneath him and went to work.

“You’re sure?” he asked one last time as he reached for lube. He was doing this the old-fashioned way because while a spell might be more efficient, it was nowhere near as intimate. As desperate as he was, he had no intention of rushing this. Sirius deserved slow, careful, and tender.

Sirius grabbed his hand and guided it back to his entrance. He pressed a quick kiss to Remus’ lips and said, “I’m ready. _Please_ Remus.”

Despite his intentions to take his time, the sight, sound, and feel of Sirius writhing against his fingers tested Remus’ resolve. “By Merlin, Remus, I’m _ready_!” Sirius insisted after several excruciatingly long minutes.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Remus murmured into Sirius’ shoulder, twisting his fingers just so and widening them a few more times before finally removing them. A few muttered spells later and Sirius was digging his heels into Remus’ flanks, pulling him in deeper until their hips were flush against each other.

Remus stilled and carefully drew in a breath before opening his eyes and seeing Sirius’ grey eyes gazing back at him. His features softened - a rare and precious sight, Remus knew - and he turned away to laugh when Remus bumped their noses together. “Fancy meeting you here,” he said with faux nonchalance, then gasped out a breath when Remus finally began to move. Remus set a slow and steady pace, grinning every time Sirius moaned or arched his back in pleasure.

He let out a whuff of surprise then, when Sirius suddenly gripped his forearms where he was braced above him and sent them careening sideways so that Sirius was straddling Remus’ hips.

“Wha-?” he asked before cutting himself off with a groan as Sirius sank back down onto his erection.

“This is the part where I make a joke about getting to ride a werewolf,” Sirius huffed out, shifting his hips faster and faster. “But I’m afraid I just don’t have it in me.”

“I thought the whole point of this was that you _do_ have a werewolf in you,” Remus said.

Sirius threw his head back and laughed before doubling over and putting his face next to Remus’. He slowed his movements until they were doing little more than rocking back and forth atop each other.

“I love you, you know,” he whispered.

“I do,” Remus said, reaching up a hand to cup Sirius’ face. “I love you too, of course,” he added after a slight pause. They both started laughing again until finally Sirius started to move with purpose.

“Remus,” Sirius said. “I’m - nnngh, I’m close.” He was reaching to wrap his fingers around himself.

Remus had taken hold of his hips and was adding his own momentum to their movements, covering Sirius hands with one of his own, stroking him in time with his own jerky thrusts. Eventually they lost their rhythm and Sirius came with his head thrown back and his eyes clenched shut. Remus thought he was absolutely stunning and that was the last thought he had before his own climax washed over him.

 

As he came back to himself, he felt Sirius moving away and blindly reached for him. “Shh, just getting my wand,” he heard before Sirius returned. A few quick cleaning spells later they were both tucked under the covers, curled up together like Remus had imagined. He wrapped an arm around Sirius to pull him close and press a kiss to his temple.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said again. “Was it what you wanted?”

Sirius snuggled in closer. “Between the delicious dinner and floral misunderstandings and the fantastic shag, I think you outdid yourself Remus Lupin. Can’t think of a thing I would’ve added.”

Remus smiled and then said suddenly, “I was going to ask you to dance! After dessert - I had music picked out and everything.” He looked down at Sirius who was rolling his eyes affectionately.

“Dance with me tomorrow,” Sirius murmured sleepily before burrowing down a bit further under the covers.

“Is that something else you’ve been overeducated in which may have different meanings depending on the alignment of the stars and the tides?” Remus teased.

“Maybe - “ Sirius began. “What on earth…?” He threw the covers to the side to reveal a few balls of yarn tangled between his legs and around his feet. “Knitting in bed, Remus?”

“Oops,” Remus said, quickly reaching to untangle him. With a glint in his eye he looked up at Sirius. “Though, it looks like you’ve got a head start.”

“How do you mean?”

“Well, instead of dancing with wolves,” he began, pointing to himself, “you’ve been dancing with wools!” He successfully undid the mess of yarn around Sirius feet and with a flick of his wand sent the rewound balls to his knitting basket in the corner.

Sirius groaned and chuckled softly. “And here I was going to say something about the balls between my legs.” The two men resituated themselves in the bed. “I liked yours better, though.” He was drifting despite the giggles.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Sirius,” Remus said one last time before waving his hand and extinguishing the candles.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *throws festoons of flowers and heart-shaped confetti*  
> HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, Y'ALL
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please feed the author with kudos and comments. You can yell at me (or listen to me yell about the importance of laughter during sex) on Tumblr at [WritingWillow](http://writingwillow.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Next installment coming at you in April so keep an eye out! xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> Lord, Remus is me and I am Remus. (Meaning, I kind of hate Valentine's Day but I love the people who love it.)  
> Stop by tomorrow for part two!
> 
> Come scream at me on Tumblr [WritingWillow](http://writingwillow.tumblr.com/)


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